English → Latin
“wizard” in Latin
magusmagus (Zoroastrian priest); magician, wizard, (derogatory) sorcerer, trickster, conjurer, charlatanvenēficuspoisonous; sorcerous, magic, magicalEnniusa Roman nomen gentile, gens or "family name" famously held byAmmiānusa masculine praenomen, famously held byLactantiusA masculine cognomen — famously held by
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
wizard
magus (μάγος): veneficus (a preparer of poisonous drugs for the purposes of enchantment): qui inferiorum animas elicit; qui animos or mortuorum imagines excitat (after Cic., Vatin., 6, 14; Ennius, Cic., Tusc., 1, 16, 37): qui jubet manes exire ex sepuleris (after Ov., Met., 7, 206): qui infernas umbras carminibus elicit (Tac., Ann., 2, 28, 2): eliciendi animulas noxias et praesagia sollicitare larvarum gnarus (Ammianus, all of one who raises spirits; the last, for the purpose of inquiring the future): qui adjuratione divini nominis daemonas expellat (expeller of evil spirits; exorcist, Lactantius; in late writers, exorcista).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for wizard?
- The usual Latin words for “wizard” are magus, venēficus, Ennius; also Ammiānus, Lactantius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.